State of emergency may cause disruption to immigration services

Chile

10/22/2019

2019 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP.

What is the immigration news? Authorities have declared a state of emergency amid mass protests in Chile, imposing curfews, closing roads and shutting down public transportation in much of the country. Immigration services may be disrupted.

Government offices are likely to remain closed or operate on a limited schedule in the coming days. Foreign nationals may not be able to make appointments because of road closures and limited transportation options. Individuals can still submit applications by mail, but processing is likely to be delayed.

* Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing.
* Processes affected: All immigration services, including registration, visa stamping and appointments for work permits and identification cards.
* Who is affected: Foreign nationals in need of immigration services in Chile, especially those with pending applications.
* Impact on processing times: Delays should be expected.
* Business impact: Companies may need to adjust time lines for employees who are impacted by the limited immigration services.

Additional information: Authorities declared a state of emergency in Santiago Saturday, as the capital grappled with mass demonstrations. The state of emergency was subsequently expanded to other parts of the country. It is not known, at this point, how long emergency measures will remain in place.

BAL Analysis: Employers and individuals should anticipate delays while government offices are closed or operating on a limited basis. Individuals who are unable to make a scheduled appointment are encouraged to work with their immigration provider to reschedule the appointment when normal services resume.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and Carey y Cía Ltda in Chile. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.